


Mermaids Don't Exist

by G123u



Series: A Fairy Tale for Two [4]
Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 16:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17491580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/G123u/pseuds/G123u
Summary: He's eager to find and thank the one who saved him.





	Mermaids Don't Exist

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by: anon person yeee (FF.net)  
> I've been thinking a lot about mermaids lately. The request was for IS/TT but this should be fine right? (laughs)
> 
> Elsword - Sheath Knight  
> Chung - Shelling Guardian
> 
> Trigger warnings for the following subjects:  
> \- Mentions/Implications of death

_When I was six years old, I almost drowned. I can’t remember much, it’s all blurry. But I can still clearly remember the shining white scales, and the pretty blond hair of the mermaid who saved me._

* * *

“...word? Elsword? Wake up, we’re almost there.”

The boy grumbles, reluctantly opening his eyes. He yawns and stretches, his neck sore from sleeping in an awkward position. The older girl beside him laughs, “Good morning sleepyhead. Look outside - we’re almost at our stop.”

The boy listens and gets up on his knees. He grasps the edge of his seat and peers out the window - tall, white buildings line his view with few colors in between. There are streams of water flowing just about everywhere, and it’s a huge contrast from his quiet, forest-covered home in Ruben. ...No, his former home. He notices himself slouching and tries to perk up, feign excitement, but of course, his sister notices.

“You alright there, buddy? I know it’s tough leaving Ruben, but I’m sure you’ll like it here. It’ll be a great chance to make some new friends!”

She smiles and comfortingly pats his back. Elsword nods in reply and gives a quiet “yeah,” before returning to his seat. He admits he’s looking forward to making new friends. There weren’t any kids his age back in Ruben, and there’s bound to be someone in a huge city like this. Besides, there was another reason he was eager to come here:

_That mermaid who saved me… I didn’t get the chance to thank him before. I hope I can meet him again._

* * *

The person who came to pick them up at the train station was their uncle Penensio. He wasn’t related to the siblings by blood, but he was a close friend of their father, and the family frequently visited him over the summer. When their mom passed away, he was the first one to reach out to the siblings. Penensio was very serious and didn’t talk much. Even as he helped carry the luggage, all he said was “Are you hungry?” To which, the siblings replied “no”.

_He hasn’t changed much,_ Elsword thinks to himself. His eyes light up as he notices his uncle’s car - more specifically, the goofy self-portrait he drew (with permanent marker) by the rear left tire. He remembers being scolded for it (and crying, lots) but he feels happy that his uncle didn’t paint over it or anything. Uncle Penensio might seem cold, but the boy knew his uncle cared greatly for his sister and him. If one needed further proof, they would need to look no further than the back seat of the car. The first thing Elsword notices are the soft blankets, two of them, folded neatly on the seats. The next thing he sees is a small basket of books, toys, juice cartons, and-- Woah, are those _Henesys Cookies & Cream Chocolate_ bars!? Score! Elsword practically dives towards the basket and begins tearing open a packet. He breaks off a large chunk and shoves it in his mouth, offering what’s left to his sister.

“Wan one shish?” He asks.

“Haha! I see you’re already getting used to this! I’ll take one, sure.”

Elesis gets in the car and takes the open chocolate bar. She bites off a piece and gleefully devours it. Looking at these two like this, any bypasser could definitively tell that they were siblings. In the driver’s seat, Penensio lets out a chuckle,

“Don’t eat too much before dinner. Do you want to watch a movie?”

“Yeah! Magmanta-Man!”

“Magmanta-Man again? You really like that movie don’tchu?”

“Heck yeah! I mean, come on sis, he’s so cool! It’s awesome when he flies with his web, or uses it to tie up the bad guys!” He imitates the superhero’s attacks, “Pew pew!”

“Haha, all right. I’ll put on Magmanta-Man for you.”

Elesis lets out a defeated sigh, but the smile never leaves her face. Two screens descend from a compartment in the car, and the opening credits begin to play. Elsword’s eyes are practically glued to the screen, and although he can’t hear it, he knows the car engine has started by the slight vibration he feels.

“I’m going to start driving. Have both of you put your seatbelts on?”

“Yup!”

“Great. Let’s go then.”

* * *

The drive is a fairly long one, longer than the duration of the Magmanta-Man movie. Elsword remembers falling asleep at some point, but the sun is still up when he wakes. His sister continues to sleep beside him, her mouth wide open, and the television screens have long since returned to their compartments.

“Did you wake up? We’re almost there.”  
“Okay.”

Elsword turns to peer out the window, stretching his neck as he gazes at the seemingly endless sea before him. Living on the outskirts of Hamel meant that uncle Penensio had to travel further for work, but it also meant that he could live in a quiet place by the beach. Deep down, Elsword was glad his uncle didn’t decide to move somewhere else. The rivers by the train station were pretty, but Elsword much prefered the large ocean, and how it seemed to sparkle from afar. Of course, he didn’t know how to swim so he couldn’t go very far into the waters, but that was beside the point.

Elesis was awake by the time they arrived at Penensio’s house. She unbuckles her seatbelt as the car pulls into the driveway, and as soon as the engine is cut, she swings the door open and jumps out. Elsword follows suit. He grabs his suitcase from the trunk but is momentarily distracted by the giant blue blanket in the near horizon. He walks a few steps, eyes glued to the distance, and asks,

“Sis? Can I… walk around? For a bit?”

“Huh? ...Oh, sure. Don’t go too far, okay?”

“Okay.”

He places his suitcase by the front door, hands it over to uncle Penensio, and then at a pace quicker than walking, but not quite running, he goes down the sidewalk, down the sets of stairs, across the beach, and stands just where the waves cannot reach him.

The waves crawl up to the shore, and gently rescind; sometimes they lose momentum and stop far away, sometimes they come close to the tip of Elsword’s shoes. But never once, do they quite touch. Despite being right there, it all feels surreal to the young boy. He closes his eyes and lets his mind wander: the sound of the waves becomes muffled, and his legs disappear from his mind. He’s floating now, no, sinking, slowly, gently, falling. The waves grow silent, and he is enclosed in a bubble, where nothing enters, and nothing leaves. It’s dark. And a little bit chilly. He isn’t struggling just yet, right now, he’s in freefall. And then, in the deep blue darkness, he sees a faint glimmer, followed by another. And a third. And a fourth. And so on, until they form the shape of a long fin, the ends splayed open like a fan. They flicker, and soon vanish into the darkness. And then, he sees… ...He opens his eyes, the waves no longer mute, the gritty sand firmly beneath his legs. He is no longer a part of the vast sea.

_...I should head back._

A quiet sigh escapes his lips, one he doesn’t notice. But someone else does.

“Did you see it?”

“...Huh?”

Elsword turns around. There’s a boy a few steps away, who looks about his age. He can’t tell who’s taller from this distance, but against the stone cliffside, his skin looks exceptionally pale. His hair looks a little messy, and occasionally a thin ponytail will peek out from behind the boy. Though there are some differences, Elsword can’t help but notice how similar he looks to that--

“--mermaid.”

“What?” The mermaid--the boy distinctly frowns. “Mermaids don’t exist. They’re just a fairy tale,” and with that, he runs away.

Elsword doesn’t bother following the mysterious boy. He continues to stand there, a little bit dumbfounded, but unsure of what to think.

“Elswoooooorddd! Dinner’s reaadddyyyyy!”

“Coming!”

* * *

“Hmm…” Elesis flips through the pile of school brochures. As one would expect from a capital city, there’s plenty of high schools to choose from. She’s organized them into two major piles - ‘maybe’ and ‘no’. Her brows are furrowed to the point of almost touching, and it’s only when she hears uncle Penensio enter the room that she relaxed.

“Have any caught your attention?” he asks, setting a large glass of apple juice in front of the two children. Elesis shakes her head.

“Not yet. I’m interesting in these three since they offer a lot of scholarship options, but I’m concerned about the travel distance… Hey uncle, do you know if the bus lines offer a student discount?”

It was an innocent enough question, and he figures Elesis isn’t even aware of her underlying message, but he gives her a gentle pat on the back anyway.

“Don’t worry about the costs, I earn more than enough to provide for both of you.”

“But--”

“Now then,” he cuts her off and picks up a brochure from the ‘maybe’ pile. “This one is close to my office. I don’t get off work until four, but I can drive you to and from school.” He’s flipping through the pages as he says this, eyes quickly skimming over the blocks of text that boast about how great their school is. “What about you, Elsword?”

“Huh?” Hearing his name, the young boy lowers his glass to listen. The juice is already half gone, and his shorts are dotted with drops of condensation. Penensio repeats himself,

“Have you decided on a school yet?”

“Oh, yeah! I want to go to this one,” He wipes a hand on his shorts (much to the dismay of his sister) and picks up a brochure, offering it to the older man.

“ _Aquamarine Voice Middle School_ … If I recall correctly, this is a relatively small school.”

“Yeah, and they have a scuba-diving club!”

He laughs, “Ah, so that’s why you want to go here. Indeed, it’s true that most schools don’t offer scuba-diving as an extracurricular. It’s close by, too. If the weather is good, you could walk there.” The boy flashes a wide smile in response. It somehow shines brighter as Penensio ruffles his unruly red hair. “We can go shopping for supplies tomorrow. Take your time to decide, there’s still time before the semester begins.”

* * *

“Have fun at school, stay safe.”

“Yeah, see you later uncle Penensio!” Elsword practically jumps out of the car and slams the door behind him. He gives his uncle a short wave before dashing towards the school’s entrance. Uncle Penensio had written down his teacher’s name and classroom number on a sticky note. He walks down the long hallway, glancing at each door, and the note every now and then.

“182… 183… Huh? That’s it? Where’s room 185???”

“Are you lost?”

Elsword turns around to face the voice. There’s a sound of surprise from both of them when they make eye contact.

“Oh hey, it’s you again! The name’s Elsword, what’s yours?” He holds out a hand.

“--Huh? ...Oh.” The other boy took a second to process the situation. He reached out and shook hands. How could someone be this energetic so early in the morning, he thought to himself. “My name is Chung. I wasn’t... expecting to see you here.”

“Me neither! This is awesome, my first day of school and I already have a friend!”

“---Huh?” He must’ve heard wrong, but the other boy wasn’t saying anything more, and Chung didn’t really feel like asking for clarification. He decides to change the topic, “Um, do you need help finding your classroom?”

“Yes, please! I need to get to room 185 but…” Elsword looks around, confusion evident in his eyes. “The numbers just stop at 183.” He’s almost sulking, and Chung can’t help but laugh a little at this.

“Room 185 is at the other end of the school. It was added later on, when the school was renovated,” Chung explains. “Follow me, I’ll show you where it is.” Elsword, very reluctantly, complies.

He walks a little behind Chung. The two are almost the same height, but Elsword’s long legs cause their steps to be out of sync. As they walk through the school, they pass by a few students, some who greet the duo. Although Elsword vocally responds, he’s more fascinated by the way his new friend’s hair seems to bob slightly with each step. It vaguely reminded Elsword of a long-eared dog. Or maybe a puppy? Chung doesn’t look old enough to be a full-grown dog.

“Hey Chung, how old are you?”

“Huh?” The question clearly took him by surprise. “Um, I’m fifteen, though I’ll be turning sixteen in a few months.”

“Ooh, me too! I’m also turning sixteen soon! Hey, when’s your birthday? Mine’s December 27th, I’ll totally invite you to my birthday party! So you should invite me to yours, too!”

“Oh wow, it looks like I’m older than you, Elsword,” he laughs. “I was born on the fourth of December.”

“Woah, no way! Seriously? Holy cow, that’s awesome! I’ve never met anyone who was also born in December!” His grin is practically infectious, and soon Chung finds himself feeling pretty… happy, he’s glad to have made a friend. Then he quickly frowns and stops in his tracks.

“Uh, say… I’m uh, I, I’m-I’m sorry. For what I said, at the beach? That was… kind of rude.”

He’s a bit afraid to look at his friend’s face, especially after ruining the good mood. But Elsword doesn’t care,

“Nah, don’t worry about it!” He pats the older boy’s back but really, it’s more of a full-on shove. Chung can’t help but stumble a bit, and he briefly wonders if the redhead is aware of his own strength. “We’re friends now, right? And friends forgive each other!” He continues, “Besides, it’s not like you were really being rude or anything. I mean, most people probably don’t believe in mermaids.”

“Then… Do you? Do you believe in them?”

He feels a bit confused. What kind of answer was Chung expecting from him? It sounded as if he was suspicious, curious, and almost a bit… hopeful? ...They’re friends, he can tell him. He shoves his hands into his sweater pockets and looks away, far into the distance.

“When I… When I was six, my mom took me a beach here in Hamel. I don’t remember which one, but I think it was close by, since we visited uncle Penensio a lot - oh! I’m living with my uncle right now by the way. Um. So. I don’t remember too much, but I think I went too far into the water, and ‘cause you know, six year olds can’t really swim so…”

He pauses, and takes a short peek at Chung. The other boy is listening attentively, and nods, encouraging Elsword to continue. He takes a deep breath and continues, “I think I drowned. Or, well, almost drowned. Like I said, I don’t remember what happened, but I know that someone saved me.”

“Was it your mother?”

Elsword shakes his head. “I thought that at first, but mom had grandpa’s black hair. The person who saved me had shiny blond hair. Actually, it was a lot like yours.”

“Like mine?”

“Yeah, like, almost the color of honey? But mixed with like… oatmeal or something. That kind of shade.”

“...That’s the first time I’ve heard my hair color described like that.”

“Well, you know what I mean! Anyway, I think the person who saved me was a mermaid. And now that I’m finally back in Hamel, I want to find them, and say ‘thank you’. ‘Cause he saved me and all.”

“I see… I hope you find them soon.” He tries his best to give an encouraging smile, and Elsword replies in full.

“Yeah! Me too. Thanks Chung. You’re a good listener, you know?”

“You think?”

“Yeah, for sure! By the way, speaking of when we first met, what did you mean? When you asked me if I saw ‘it’?”

“Oh, that… I’m looking for something that I lost. I haven’t found it yet, but I know it’s out there somewhere.”

“What did you lose? I’ll help you find it!”

“It’s okay. Thank you though.” He notices the way Chung’s shoulders droop, and how his chin tilts downwards a little. “...Come on,” Chung beckons, “we’re almost at your classroom.”

He can only reply with a single “okay”.

* * *

“...Chung?”

“Yeah! He said it was Korean for the color blue.” It’s only for a split second, but Elsword is all too aware of his uncle’s shocked expression. He’s sitting on the living room sofa, a glass of cold orange juice in hand. Uncle Penensio is drinking coffee in another armchair. He seems oddly pensive. Elsword continues, “Do you know him, uncle?”

Penensio closes his eyes. It takes him a while to respond.

“...Just a little bit. Do you remember how I used to serve in the military, Elsword?”

He nods, “Yeah. That’s how you met dad, right?”

“Yes, that is correct. The leader of my squadron was an older-looking man,” he pauses and closes his eyes. He then places his coffee down, gets up, and walks upstairs. Elsword is tempted to follow, but he remains seated. It’s not long before Penensio returns with a large book in hand. He’s flipping through the pages as he walks, and when he sits down beside Elsword, the boy can’t help but curiously scoot over and peer at the book’s contents. It’s a photo album, he notes, and his uncle is in a lot of the pictures.

“Ah, here it is,” Penensio points to a photo of two young men. Elsword instantly recognizes one of them as uncle Penensio. The other one… _Huh, isn’t this…?_  
“This was me ten years ago,” Penensio points to the man on the left, who had a very stern facial expression. In contrast, the man on the right was practically beaming, his white teeth visible from his goofy grin. “This was our squad caption, Helputt Seiker. His son had just turned five, and it was all he would talk about.”

“Then that’s…”

“...Chung’s father,” Penensio finishes. “Yes. He passed away shortly after this photo was taken.”

“...Huh?”

“He drowned.” Blunt as ever. Elsword could hear the slight quiver in his uncle’s voice, and yet the older man forces himself to continue. “I was told by a higher up later that he jumped into the ocean to rescue someone. Helputt was a phenomenal swimmer, but I suppose his heavy armor combined with his fatigue led to his untimely death.”

Penensio begins aimlessly flipping through the photo album. His eyes are blinking a lot more frequently, and certainly, it was difficult for Elsword to not notice. “When they recovered his body, it had been ravaged by the ocean waves. He… He had limbs missing, hair torn out, face all scratched up-- It was un-unbearable, unbearable to s-see him in…”

Ahh, he broke down... Uncle Penensio’s words turn to mumbled gibberish, and then even that became a series of incoherent sobs. He didn’t know much about the deceased man, but Elsword could clearly tell how much Helputt meant to his uncle. He gets on his knees and wraps his arms around as much of his uncle as he could. The position is a little uncomfortable, but he doesn’t dare let go. His uncle continues to weep quietly.

* * *

“Els? Before we start the movie, can I talk to you about something?”

“Hm? Shure, whassup?” His mouth is full, cheeks wide like a hamster. He shoves his hand into the bowl of buttery popcorn and shoves another handful into his mouth. Chung is a little amazed, but he continues,

“Well… Do you remember how I said I was looking for something? The truth is… I’m looking for my father.”

He’s responded with silence. And then a very audible gulp. Elsword places the bowl down on the table, dusts his hands, and then sits down on the soft couch beside his friend. He has a serious look on his face, and nods for the other boy to continue.

“It was a really long time ago, but he went missing. They say he drowned, but I don’t believe it - I mean, Father was the best swimmer in the world! The police gave up searching after a few days, they never found him.”

Chung doesn’t notice his hands tensing up, but Elsword does. He places a hand on top of Chung’s and gives a gentle squeeze - much like how his sister would do for him. His efforts are noticed as Chung begins to relax. He takes a deep breath before continuing,

“Thanks… Um. We… Had a funeral for him, but since his body was never found, the casket was empty. I think that… really broke my mother. I was still really young so I didn’t fully understand the situation, but I _know_ that he’s still out there somewhere, and I want to find him.”

He’s quivering, Elsword notes.

“I believe you.”

“...Huh?”

“I believe you,” he repeats. His eyes are sympathetic and earnest and it takes Chung every fiber of his being to not burst out crying right there and then. Unfortunately, at this very moment, he doesn’t have nearly as much willpower as he thought he has.

“T-Thank you…” His nose is running and he’s trying his best to quickly wipe away any tears. “A-All the… All the adults tell me to give up, since it’s been over ten years. I know that, I know that he probably isn’t alive anymore, b-but at the l-least, I want him to come back home.”

“...Yeah. You’re really brave, Chung.” Elsword rubs the boy’s back, he knows what it’s like to lose a close family member, and he tries his best to be as supportive as his sister was when their own mother died. “I believe you, I know you’re trying your best.”

“...Sniff… Thanks, I’m okay now.” His eyes are red and swollen and his smile is not convincing in the slightest, but Elsword complies and removes his hand. He’s flustered, but the blond boy tries to change the subject to a happier note, “Oh, do you want to see a photo of him? Mother gave me this pendant, it was apparently a special wedding gift she received from Father.”

He pulls out a large necklace from underneath his shirt. The gold chain has dulled with age, but the giant blue gem locket had not. He pushed a swatch on the side and with a soft click, the locket popped open to show a tiny photograph.

“Father was suddenly called away on duty that day, so he finished the ceremony in his military uniform,” he laughs.  
It was certainly an odd sight, seeing a bride in a big, poofy white dress standing next to someone in full armor. The groom looks a lot like Chung, Elsword notes, with his honey-oatmeal mixed hair and a big goofy smile. His armor is speckled with deep reds and whites that rival the bride’s gown, and as the boy’s mind begins to take in the image, Elsword swears he could hear the sound of crashing waves.

“...This is…?” His voice barely comes out as more than a mutter, but he’s too preoccupied. He’s falling, sinking, he can hear his name being called but it’s growing muffled by the second until it’s completely swallowed up by the waves. His legs transform into a foam of bubbles and disperse and now he’s sinking, floating, unbalanced, in the middle of a vast darkness. He’s here again. He’s here again and he knows what will happen so he’s got to hurry and he’s panicking and anxious and he has to hurry and--

“Elsword!”

“The mermaid!! ...The mermaid,” He can hear his heart pounding and his mouth feels dry, so dry. “The mermaid,” he repeats, and he sputters to explain as Chung looks on ever confused.

“That’s him!” Elsword exclaims. “That hair, that armor, I-I can’t - I can’t believe thi-your dad is the mermaid who saved me!!”

The other boy is speechless. His eyes are wide and his mouth is opening and closing, but he doesn’t speak ‘nor move.

“--Elsword! Is everything all right?!”

“Uncle!”

“I heard you shout, are you hurt--”

“Uncle the mermaid! I mean, your squad leader! Chung’s dad! He saved me! I almost drowned as a kid and Chung’s dad saved me!”

It takes Penensio a moment to register the boy’s babbling, but once he does, a wave of numerous expressions flies by his face.

“W-What’s going on?” Chung asks hesitantly. His shoulders are grabbed as his friend continues to shout,

“He was found! Your dad was found! He came home Chung, he came home!!”

Before he could fully understand what he was hearing, this time, it was Elsword’s turn to cry.

* * *

“...So that’s what happened.” Penensio let out a long sigh. It wasn’t as if the whole situation surrounding Helputt had been resolved, but he somehow felt a bit less… burdened, by his own unjust guilt and regret.

“He was in the casket all along…”

“...Yeah.”

“Wow Els, thank you. I would’ve never known without you. And your uncle, too.”

“But… Don’t you… hate me?”

“Huh? Why would I hate you?”

“Because,” He hangs his head down. “I mean, your dad died trying to save me. It’s almost as if, I was the one who killed him.”

A look of shock flickers through both Chung and Penensio’s faces. The latter quickly gets up, “Elsword that’s not--”

“Don’t say that! That is definitely not true, Els!” He grabs his friend’s hands and tightly clenches them. His brows are furrowed and he’s sporting a frown but there are tears forming in his blue eyes. “Don’t say that…”

“But. Why…? It’s my fault, what happened to your dad...”

“No! It’s not, it’s not your fault, Els!”

It’s rare hearing the blond boy raise his voice so frequently in the course of a single day. Truthfully, Elsword feels like wanting to run away, but he braces himself. He can’t bear to look at his friend in the eyes, but he can at least hang his head and listen to what he has to say.

“...It’s no one’s fault, so don’t say that, Els, please. You’re the life my father saved, after all.”

...He hesitantly lifts his head up.

“I mean,” Chung continues, “Of course I’m sad that he died, but, Father was really awesome. And the person he saved is making the most out of his life. I got to meet him, and become friends with him, and even…” He quickly glances away, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly. “Ahem, but Els, thank you. For always keeping my father in your memories all this time… Thank you.”

Elsword could feel his nose getting hot, and he begins blinking rapidly in a fruitless attempt to hold back the tears. “No,” he responds, “I’m the one who’s grateful. Thank you, Chung.” He smiles - and Chung does too - their hands still connected. “I guess you were right - mermaids don’t exist after all.”


End file.
